Seashore Cabaret sits above the Petone Rowing Club on The Esplanade, in a building that dates from the early twentieth century. The space once served as a dance hall, which explains the café’s name. It looks out over the foreshore and harbour towards Wellington city, and on a clear day across to Cook Strait. With more than a hundred seats it is a busy, family friendly place, and on sunny weekends people often queue for a table on the outdoor deck, where dogs are welcome. Staff have a name for quick, friendly service, which keeps a room of this size moving.
Inside, the fitout is a cheerful jumble of carnival and diner memorabilia. Carousel horses and giant taxidermy fish hang from above, the ceilings are covered in colourful tiles, booths are styled like the walls of a seaside bach, and a bank of pinball machines and amusements lines the back wall. Coffee comes from Good Fortune, organic and fair trade, and the café makes a point of paying all of its staff a living wage. The counter is stocked with sandwiches, cakes, slices and cookies, so there is always something quick to have with a coffee.
Breakfast runs into the afternoon and covers the full spread, from buttermilk pancakes served either with bacon and banana or with stewed fruit and mascarpone, to avocado smash with feta and dukkah, eggs benedict with house smoked salmon, and a big breakfast loaded with kransky and hash brown. A goodness bowl of roasted kūmara, crispy chickpeas, beetroot hummus and quinoa contains neither animal products nor gluten, and a key on the menu points out the other dishes that are vegan or can leave out gluten or dairy. From late morning the lunch list adds fish tacos, Cabaret fish and chips with tartare and lemon, a Cheeseburger Royale with smoked cheese and red onion marmalade, a halloumi burger and chicken parmigiana, plus loaded curly fries for sharing.
On four evenings a week the café turns to dinner, with grilled sirloin in a creamy mushroom sauce, market fish with lemon caper sauce, honey and sesame glazed pork ribs and a crispy fish burger, followed by a Whittaker’s triple chocolate brownie or a vegan orange almond cake. The drinks list plays up the retro theme with soda fountain flavours, soda floats, thick milkshakes in flavours like hokey pokey and jaffa, and iced chocolate topped with cream. Adults can choose local beers such as Petone Boardriders lager and Parrotdog’s Birdseye hazy IPA, New Zealand wines by the glass, or a Bloody Mary or mimosa from the brunch list.
Address: Petone Rowing Club building, 160 The Esplanade, Petone, Lower Hutt 5012
Moved or closed? Tell us: Moved·Temporarily closed·Permanently closed
Seashore Cabaret Menu
Option tags, such as Vegan Option (VGO), mean the dish can be made that way on request: ask for that version when you order.
No dishes match all the filters you picked.
Breakfast
Served 7AM – 3PM. GF available +$1 where noted.
Free Range Eggs
Sourdough Toast (GF available +$1)
Granola Yoghurt Bowl
Creamy Greek yoghurt, crunchy house-made granola, fresh strawberries, banana & a drizzle of maple syrup. (VG available)
Buttermilk Pancakes
Bacon, banana & maple syrup OR stewed fruit, mascarpone & maple syrup.
Avocado Smash
Creamy smashed avocado on 5-grain toast, topped with zesty crumbled feta, a drizzle of olive oil & dukkah. (GF available +$1)
Goodness Bowl
Roasted kumara, crispy fried chickpeas, baby spinach, beetroot hummus, zesty quinoa salad, pickled cucumber & dukkah. (VG & GF)
Deluxe Salmon Bagel
House-smoked salmon, chive cream cheese, pickled onions, capers on toasted Shelly Bay bagel. (GF available +$1)
Mushrooms on Toast
Creamy roasted thyme mushrooms on 5-grain toast with Parmesan cheese. (GF available +$1)
Mince on Toast
Slow-cooked beef mince in rich onion gravy on toasted sourdough with rocket. (GF available +$1)
Big Breakfast
Poached eggs on sourdough with bacon, Kranskys, hash-brown, roasted mushrooms & house relish. (GF available +$1)
Vege Breakfast
Poached eggs on 5-grain toast with roasted tomato, artichokes, roasted mushroom, hash-brown, spinach & house relish. (VG available)
Truckers Breakfast
Grilled 220g sirloin steak with creamy mushroom sauce, fried eggs & fries. (GF)
Eggs Benedict
With house-smoked salmon OR streaky bacon (GF available +$1)
Kids Brekkie
Pancake Stack
With maple syrup OR jam and cream.
Toast & Spreads
Sourdough / 5-grain / gluten-free with choice of raspberry jam, marmalade, peanut butter, honey, Vegemite or Marmite.
$7 Sides
Bacon
Halloumi
Kranskys
Roasted tomatoes
Fresh seasonal salad
Roasted mushrooms
Hash-browns
(VG & GF)
Two free-range eggs
or one
Light Meals
Served 11AM – 3PM.
Pan Seared Prawns
Chilli garlic & coriander marinated prawns, sautéed in lemon butter with toasted garlic bread (GF available)
Thai Beef Salad
Marinated beef strips, mixed green salad, sweet chilli mayo & crispy noodles
Super Nachos
Beans with spicy tomato salsa, cheese, sour cream, chipotle mayo & corn chips OR with chilli beef +$1 (DF & GF available)
Southern Fried Chicken
Buttermilk fried chicken strips & chipotle aioli
Chilli Calamari
With lemon caper aioli
Fries with that?
Loaded Curly Fries
With sour cream, tomato salsa, cheese. Options: Bacon, Chilli Beef or Beans
Rustic Fries
With house aioli
Curly Fries
With house aioli
Full-Sails Lunch
Served 11AM – 3PM.
Fish Tacos
Crispy fried fish, coleslaw, pickled red onion & jalapeño sauce (3 tacos)
Cabaret Fish & Chips
Beer-battered fish, salad & fries with tartare & lemon
Seashore Garden Salad
Mixed greens, carrot, red cabbage, cherry tomatoes, toasted seeds & house dressing (VG & DF)
Cheeseburger Royale
House-made beef patty, smoked cheese, red onion marmalade, lettuce, tomato & Seashore burger sauce on toasted brioche bun, served with rustic fries. (GF available)
Crunchy Chicken Burger
Buttermilk fried chicken, tangy ‘slaw, smoked cheese, pickled jalapeños, chipotle mayo on toasted brioche bun with rustic fries.
Halloumi Burger
Grilled halloumi, beetroot hummus, greens & aioli.
Chicken Parmigiana
Crispy crumbed chicken breast topped with smoked ham, Napoli sauce & mozzarella, served with seasonal salad & fries
Kids Lunch Menu
Crumbed chicken tenders & fries
Mini hot dogs & fries
Fish fingers & fries
Add Ons
House-smoked salmon
Free-range eggs
Dinner – Small Plates
Dinner from 4pm.
Garlic Bread
Bruschetta
Shelley Bay ciabatta with tomato, red onion & fresh basil salsa. Topped with crumbled feta, dukkah with olive oil drizzle (3 pcs)
Chilli Calamari
With lemon caper aioli
Southern Fried Chicken
Buttermilk fried chicken strips with chipotle aioli
Dinner – Spectacular Seasonal Special
Famous Pork Ribs
Crispy honey & sesame glazed pork ribs served with fries & house slaw
Chicken Parmigiana
Crispy crumbed chicken breast topped with smoked ham, Napoli sauce & mozzarella. Served with seasonal salad & fries
Dinner – Big Plates
Fish tacos
Crispy fried fish with house slaw, pickled red onion & jalapeño sauce (3 tacos)
Seasonal Garden Salad
Mixed greens, carrot & red cabbage with cherry tomato, toasted seeds & house dressing
Grilled Sirloin Steak
Grilled 220g sirloin steak with creamy mushroom sauce. Served with baby carrots and twice cooked hand cut wedges
Market Fish
Pan seared fish of the day served with mashed potato, baby carrots, beans & topped with lemon caper sauce
Chilli garlic prawns
Coriander marinaded, sauteed in lemon butter with toasted garlic bread
Dinner – Burgers & Bites
Served on a brioche bun with Fries.
Cheeseburger Royale
Beef patty, smoked cheese, red onion marmalade, Seashore’s burger sauce
Crispy Fish burger
Battered fish fillet, seasonal green salad, pickled cucumber, lemon & gherkin aioli
Halloumi Burger
Grilled halloumi, beetroot hummus, salad greens & aioli. Vegan & GF options available
Crunchy Chicken Burger
Buttermilk fried chicken, tangy slaw, smoked cheese, pickled jalapenos & chipotle mayo
Dinner – Kids
All kids meals come with fries.
Mini hot dogs
Fish fingers
Chicken tenders
Dinner – Sides
Mixed green salad
Rustic cut fries
Classic curly fries
Dinner – Desserts
Whittakers Triple Chocolate Brownie
with hot chocolate fudge sauce & vanilla ice cream
Orange Almond Cake
(Vegan & GF) With coconut yoghurt & berry compote
Chocolate or Caramel Sundae
Banana split
Affogato
with Baileys liqueur (GF)
Brunch Cocktails
Bloody Mary
Mimosa
Bellini
Dinner – Cocktails
Mojito
Bloody Mary
Homemade LLB
with Vodka
Espresso Martini
Dinner – Tap Beers & Ciders
425ml/285ml
Petone Boardriders LAGER 4%
Panhead Supercharger APA 5.7%
Parrotdog Birdseye HAZY IPA 5.8%
Abandoned PILSNER 5%
Dinner – Wines
Glass / Bottle
Earth Garden Sauvignon Blanc
Leftfield Pinot Gris
Vidal Reserve Chardonnay
Esk Valley Rose
Dinner – Sparkling Wine
Glass / Bottle
Villa Maria Sparkling Brut Rose
Giotti Prosecco NV Italy
Hunters MiruMiru Brut
Bottle Only
Coffee & Tea
Good Fortune Coffee.
Black
White
Mocha
Hot Chocolate
Juices & Smoothies
Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
Grapefruit Juice
Tomato (Plain or Spiced)
Mela Pressed Apple Juice
Milkshakes & Soda Fountain
Milkshakes
Banana, Caramel, Chocolate, Jaffa, Strawberry, Lime, Spearmint, Vanilla, Hokey Pokey. Add malt $1.
From the Soda Fountain
Cola, Lemonade, Raspberry, Cherry-Cola, Cola & Raspberry, Raspberry Lemonade, Blood Orange, Ruby Grapefruit
Soda Floats
Any soda flavour, with ice cream
All Good Fairtrade Sodas
Karma Cola, Karma Cola Sugar Free, Gingerella, Lemmy Lemonade
From Happy Menu members
Reviews from locals: every member has confirmed a New Zealand mobile.
Been to Seashore Cabaret? Be one of the first to rate it.
+ Log your visitHow prices compare
Against typical prices in Wellington
- Eggs benedict Typical in Wellington: $24.75 $25.00
- Hot chocolate Typical in Wellington: $6.00 $5.50
- Big breakfast Typical in Wellington: $28.00 $27.00
- Mocha Typical in Wellington: $6.50 $6.50
- Chicken parmigiana Typical in Wellington: $30.00 $30.00
From our guide
Best Restaurants Near Me In Petone, Alicetown and Seaview
Our closest guide to Seashore Cabaret
-
La Bella Italia
Lower Hutt · 1.2 km ·$
Italian · Mediterranean
- Vietnamese V Vietnamese Restaurant and Cafe Lower Hutt · 580 m ·$$ Vietnamese
-
Cafe Lokum
Lower Hutt · 600 m ·$$
Middle Eastern · Turkish
-
The Speight's Ale House, Petone
Lower Hutt · 770 m ·$
New Zealand · Pub
-
Buddha Stix Petone
Lower Hutt · 410 m ·$$
Asian · Malaysian
-
Bikaner
Lower Hutt · 420 m ·$
Indian · Vegetarian
Around the corner
Within 1 km of Seashore Cabaret
- Indian S Spice Valley Lower Hutt · 450 m ·$$ Indian · Nepalese
- Mediterranean O Olé Spanish Cuisine Lower Hutt · 450 m ·$ Mediterranean · Spanish
- Cantonese N New Fortuna Restaurant Lower Hutt · 470 m ·$$ Cantonese · Chinese
-
Abandoned Taproom Petone
Lower Hutt · 710 m ·$
New Zealand · Brewery
-
Kilim Petone
Lower Hutt · 750 m ·$
Middle Eastern · Turkish
More Breakfast & Brunch spots nearby
Within 10 km
